Month: August 2020

  • Monitor. Detect. Alert. It’s worth the effort.

    Monitor. Detect. Alert. It’s worth the effort.

    Let’s talk about monitoring and alerting. 

    First – what is it? Simply put, monitoring and alerting is the ability to detect a suspicious incident and notify the appropriate team members who can decide what type and level of response is necessary.

    However, your monitoring and alerting system isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it component of your overall cybersecurity posture. It’s not quick and easy, but it is essential. Without properly tuned filters and someone who knows how to digest the information and react appropriately, malicious actors can slip inside your network without your knowledge. 

    As Brian discusses, monitoring and alerting take time, experience, and ongoing testing to get right. 

    At Raxis, our penetration testing not only tests for vulnerabilities, but we also test a company’s ability to detect an attack or exploit attempt. When we test, we do so in an escalating manner that allows us to determine at what threshold detection occurs. This in turns allows our clients to see how effective (or not) their monitoring is and modify their protocols accordingly.

    Download our list of Top 10 Cyber Attacks to learn more about ways to secure your company.

    Want to learn more? Take a look at the next part of our Common Vulnerabilities discussion.

  • Badge Cloning is Easier Than You’d Expect

    Badge Cloning is Easier Than You’d Expect

    You would be hard pressed to find a company or an organization that doesn’t issue employee badges to every employee on Day one. These radio frequency identification cards usually include employee pictures as well as an electronic tag that allows access to secured doors throughout the building. The cards let IT teams know who went where and when. Companies love them because they are inexpensive and easy to manage. 

    What a lot of companies don’t realize, however, is that the technology to read and duplicate the cards is relatively inexpensive and easy to obtain by almost anyone. Unless you take proper precautions, the badge you’ve issued for security could become a vulnerability.

    Check out this video to see just how easy it is for someone with criminal intentions to gain access to secured areas of your building. The Raxis team has used this technique very successfully over the years on our red team engagements. 

    As the video demonstrates, the process is simple and fast. Even if you know what to look for, it’s hard to spot when it’s happening. 

    At Raxis, our assessments are meant to identify real-world vulnerabilities that may otherwise go unnoticed. We are here to attack – in a completely ethical way – and show you how to make your company a harder target for hackers.

  • It Might be a Phishing Attempt . . .

    It Might be a Phishing Attempt . . .

    Hackers and cybercrooks use lots of tools to get into your network and steal your information, but the cheapest, easiest, and most common is still by email phishing. Effective spam and virus filters can shield you from a lot of these attempts, but certainly not all. The most effective way to protect yourself is to educate your team. Toward that end, here is yet another reminder about some tell-tale signs in an email that it might be a phishing attempt. Of course, there are some other signs that tell you it’s definitely a phishing attempt.

    • If your CEO suddenly asks you to buy a ton of gift cards, it might be a phishing attempt. If she’s the type who also frets over the cost of paper clips, it’s definitely a phishing attempt.
    • If it’s a random news story from an outlet you don’t follow, it might be a phishing attempt. If the link points to http://mailorderbrides.someassemblyrequired.com, it’s definitely a phishing attempt.
    • If you see .ru in the email anywhere, it might be a phishing attempt. If it’s written in Cyrillic script, it’s definitely a phishing attempt.
    • If you vaguely remember your network admin warning you about the sender, it might be a phishing attempt. If she’s running toward you, waving her arms wildly, and shouting “nooooo!” it’s definitely a phishing attempt.
    • If it’s an unsolicited email, even from a reputable company, it might be a phishing attempt. If it’s from Facedook, Amazom, Microsfot, or Gooogle, it’s definitely a phishing attempt.
    • If your friend says she’s stranded in Japan, it might be a phishing attempt. If she hasn’t traveled outside the city since ‘N Sync broke up, it’s definitely a phishing attempt.
    • If it’s about your benefits or salary and you had no prior notice from HR, it might be a phishing attempt. If they misspelled HR, it’s definitely a phishing attempt.
    • If it’s from your significant other reminding you to bring home coffee, it might be a phishing attempt. It’s probably not a phishing attempt, but now you have a (lame) excuse if you forget.

     

  • Securing Your Wireless Network

    Securing Your Wireless Network

    This week Raxis Chief Technology Officer Brian Tant continues his video series about the most common vulnerabilities our team has discovered as they’ve performed thousands of penetration tests across the US over the years.

    In this video Brian highlights the unique challenges wireless security brings to the table and breaks down which type of encryption you may want to consider to enhance your wireless security posture and protect your network. 

    Brian explains the pros and cons of WPA2 Personal Encryption, WPA2 Enterprise Encryption, and Certificate-based Authentication and discusses which one the Raxis team recommends to bolster your security.

    Hopefully, you’ve watched the video and have a better understanding about which type of network encryption is most secure. If you still have questions or want to learn more about protecting your corporate network, please reach out.

    The Raxis team brings years of hacking and penetration testing experience to the table. We can use that experience to improve your skills and make your environment more secure.

    Download our list of Top 10 Cyber Attacks to learn more about ways to secure your company.

    Want to learn more? Take a look at the next part of our Common Vulnerabilities discussion.